North Star Coffee
A Roaster We Trust
A certified B Corp, North Star was founded by Holly and Alex in 2013, and was the first roastery in Leeds. They are super passionate about coffee, and in particular the global supply chain and how they can improve the issues it faces, despite all the odds. This came out of an initial relationship with farmers in Kenya, where they saw first-hand the challenges the farmers faced.
Today they have a thriving business and 4 cafes – do check them out if you're ever in the Leeds area. That combination of B Corp accountability and genuine, hard-won supply chain knowledge is exactly what we look for in the independent UK roasters we feature in our specialty coffee subscription boxes.
Rancho Grande Farm
You spoke, we listened! Many of you asked us to increase the number of juicy filter coffees we include in the box, and this one is a particular banger. This balanced washed lot is from La Bolsa in the coffee growing region of Huehuetenango, in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. La Bolsa stands for "handbag," aptly named due to its position nestled between two mountains, which provide a very stable, humid microclimate. This coffee is about as sweet as they come – beautifully well balanced, it's a versatile brew suited to both espresso and filter, but we refer to it as a filter without milk. The packaging is also 100% home compostable, which we're thrilled about.
We love this washed coffee – give it a try for a deliciously smooth, sweet taste.
Here's some excellent and detailed brew tips from our roaster. Best suited for Aeropress, Chemex, espresso, French press and pour over – enjoy with or without milk.
Coffees like this are exactly why RISE Coffee Box exists. Every month, we blind taste 25-30 coffees from independent specialty coffee roasters across the UK – from Leeds pioneers like North Star Coffee Roasters to standout names we've discovered along the way – and choose only the very best to feature in our coffee subscription boxes. If you love discovering new specialty coffee, sustainably sourced and roasted by people who genuinely care about where it comes from, a RISE coffee subscription is the easiest way to explore it all from home.
Keen to find out about other coffee roasters in Leeds? Check out our recent blog with expertly picked coffee roasters.
